Division Description Changes — Motions — Australian Research Council Amendment (Review Response) Bill 2023; Consideration of Senate Message — 21st Mar 2024

Change	Division
representatives vote 2024-03-21#6 Edited by mackay staff on 2025-01-31 12:38:13	Title Motions — Australian Research Council Amendment (Review Response) Bill 2023; Consideration of Senate Message Australian Research Council Amendment (Review Response) Bill 2023 - Consideration of Senate Message - Agree with amendments Description ~~<p class="speaker">Jason Clare</p>~~ ~~<p>I move:</p>~~ <p class="italic">That the amendments be agreed to.</p> <p>This is a great day for Australian research. It's a great day for our researchers. It's a great day for our universities. It's a great day for our reputation in the international research community. The Australian Research Council Amendment (Review Response) Bill 2023, which will pass the parliament in a few minutes, modernises the Australian Research Council and sets it up for the future. It gives certainty to our researchers and universities around research grant funding. It strips away the political interference that has held Australian research back. It does all these things despite the opposition of the coalition.</p> <p>They opposed this bill right from the get-go. They opposed it in the face of an independent review from a panel of eminent experts, and they opposed it despite broad sector support. They opposed it when regional universities were applauding it for giving a voice to regional, rural and remote researchers. Why did they oppose it? Because they want the ARC to be a political plaything for Liberal Party ministers. That ends today with the passage of this bill.</p> <p>I once again thank the ARC Review Panel led by Professor Margaret Sheil AO. I thank the many stakeholders who supported the review and this bill—like the Group of Eight, who said that these governance reforms were not only overdue but were essential to the nation's long-term interests; Universities Australia who called it 'game-changing'; and Science and Technology Australia who called the review report a 'thoughtful blueprint for modernisation'. My thanks also go to Senators David Pocock, Faruqi and Thorpe for their thoughtful engagement on it and their amendments which have made this bill even stronger. I commend those amendments and the bill to the House.</p> ~~<p class="speaker">Milton Dick</p>~~ ~~<p>The question before the House is that the Senate amendments be agreed to.</p>~~ ~~<p></p>~~ ~~<p></p>~~ The majority voted in favour of agreeing with the [Senate amendments](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Fsched%2Fr7130_sched_14bcf6a7-e49a-4362-a9cd-41ebfffd5e02%22;rec=0), which means the bill in its final form has been agreed to in both houses of parliament and so will become law. ### What does this bill do? According to the [bills digest](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/bd/bd2324a/24bd37) (which is a document prepared by the parliamentary library): > * The Australian Research Council Amendment (Review Response) Bill 2023 (the Bill) amends the Australian Research Council Act 2001 (ARC Act) to make changes to the Australian Research Council’s (ARC) purpose, oversight and funding arrangements. > *> The Bill inserts a revised objects provision into the ARC Act, with* the aim of establishing a clearer statement of the ARC’s purpose.* > *> The Bill establishes an ARC Board as* the accountable authority of the ARC. The Board will have skills-based appointees, First Nations representation, and a representative of regional, rural and remote Australia. The Bill devolves the appointment process for the Chief Executive Officer to the Board, in consultation with the Minister.* > *> The Bill makes the Board responsible* for providing advice to the Minister on funding rules (grant guidelines), with approved funding rules now subject to disallowance.* > *> The Board will also have responsibility* for approving spending on research programs under funding rules, including grants within the National Competitive Grants Program. The Minister will retain the ability to approve grants for designated research programs, which currently include ARC Centres of Excellence, Industrial Transformation Training Centres and Industrial Transformation Research Hubs. The Minister also retains the right to direct the ARC to not fund a research proposal or to recover funds from previously approved research grants based on security, defence or international relations concerns.* > *> The Bill changes the funding arrangements for the ARC to enable greater funding flexibility* and certainty, and to reduce legislative burden.* > *> The Bill implements 6 recommendations from Trusting* Australia’s Ability: Review of the Australian Research Council Act 2001.* > *> The main organisations representing universities are broadly supportive of* the Bill.* > *> The Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills has sought advice from the Minister on a number of aspects of* the Bill. The Bill has been referred to the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 5 February 2024.*

~~Jason Clare~~
~~I move:~~
That the amendments be agreed to.
This is a great day for Australian research. It's a great day for our researchers. It's a great day for our universities. It's a great day for our reputation in the international research community. The Australian Research Council Amendment (Review Response) Bill 2023, which will pass the parliament in a few minutes, modernises the Australian Research Council and sets it up for the future. It gives certainty to our researchers and universities around research grant funding. It strips away the political interference that has held Australian research back. It does all these things despite the opposition of the coalition.
They opposed this bill right from the get-go. They opposed it in the face of an independent review from a panel of eminent experts, and they opposed it despite broad sector support. They opposed it when regional universities were applauding it for giving a voice to regional, rural and remote researchers. Why did they oppose it? Because they want the ARC to be a political plaything for Liberal Party ministers. That ends today with the passage of this bill.
I once again thank the ARC Review Panel led by Professor Margaret Sheil AO. I thank the many stakeholders who supported the review and this bill—like the Group of Eight, who said that these governance reforms were not only overdue but were essential to the nation's long-term interests; Universities Australia who called it 'game-changing'; and Science and Technology Australia who called the review report a 'thoughtful blueprint for modernisation'. My thanks also go to Senators David Pocock, Faruqi and Thorpe for their thoughtful engagement on it and their amendments which have made this bill even stronger. I commend those amendments and the bill to the House.
~~Milton Dick~~
~~The question before the House is that the Senate amendments be agreed to.~~
~~~~
~~~~
The majority voted in favour of agreeing with the [Senate amendments](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Fsched%2Fr7130_sched_14bcf6a7-e49a-4362-a9cd-41ebfffd5e02%22;rec=0), which means the bill in its final form has been agreed to in both houses of parliament and so will become law.
### What does this bill do?
According to the [bills digest](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/bd/bd2324a/24bd37) (which is a document prepared by the parliamentary library):
> * *The Australian Research Council Amendment (Review Response) Bill 2023 (the Bill) amends the Australian Research Council Act 2001 (ARC Act) to make changes to the Australian Research Council’s (ARC) purpose, oversight and funding arrangements.*
>
> * *The Bill inserts a revised objects provision into the ARC Act, with the aim of establishing a clearer statement of the ARC’s purpose.*
>
> * *The Bill establishes an ARC Board as the accountable authority of the ARC. The Board will have skills-based appointees, First Nations representation, and a representative of regional, rural and remote Australia. The Bill devolves the appointment process for the Chief Executive Officer to the Board, in consultation with the Minister.*
>
> * *The Bill makes the Board responsible for providing advice to the Minister on funding rules (grant guidelines), with approved funding rules now subject to disallowance.*
>
> * *The Board will also have responsibility for approving spending on research programs under funding rules, including grants within the National Competitive Grants Program. The Minister will retain the ability to approve grants for designated research programs, which currently include ARC Centres of Excellence, Industrial Transformation Training Centres and Industrial Transformation Research Hubs. The Minister also retains the right to direct the ARC to not fund a research proposal or to recover funds from previously approved research grants based on security, defence or international relations concerns.*
>
> * *The Bill changes the funding arrangements for the ARC to enable greater funding flexibility and certainty, and to reduce legislative burden.*
>
> * *The Bill implements 6 recommendations from Trusting Australia’s Ability: Review of the Australian Research Council Act 2001.*
>
> * *The main organisations representing universities are broadly supportive of the Bill.*
>
> * *The Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills has sought advice from the Minister on a number of aspects of the Bill. The Bill has been referred to the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 5 February 2024.*